Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude to UK journalists and emphasised the critical role that worldwide media coverage plays in shining a light on the conflict in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude to UK journalists and emphasized the critical role that worldwide media coverage plays in shining a light on the conflict in Ukraine.
Speaking via video to Society of Editors Media Freedom Conference 2023, held in London on 15 March 2023, President Zelensky highlighted the significance of journalists reporting on the war, ensuring that the crimes committed do not vanish without a trace.
Since the beginning of Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine, the Ukrainian government has issued over 15,000 accreditations to foreign journalists hailing from different continents, encompassing various media platforms. President Zelensky expressed its gratitude to the many British journalists among them who “opened Ukrainian life to the maximum number of eyes in the world”
Despite the vital role journalists play in covering the conflict, they face immense risks in doing so. President Zelensky did not provide exact figures for injured or killed journalists since the start of the conflict. According to the recent statement by the Partner Organisations to the Safety of Journalists Platform, a total of 12 journalists and media personnel have lost their lives while reporting on the war or as a result of their work, and 23 others have sustained injuries.
The Society of Editors Media Freedom Conference gathered more than 150 leading editors and journalists from across the UK’s news media industry. The event facilitated discussions on the future of news, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing the UK news media industry.
The integral speech is available at this link.
